Estou Saindo

Elder Loveless with some Elders from his district

Man this is hard. Just got the call and for those who have served a mission...transfer calls are awful! I’m leaving Itupeva...I love it here and I’ve grown so close to so many people and many are close to being baptized. It’s always hard to not be able to see the fruits of your labors. But that’s not what the work is about. Going forward and doing the will of the Lord!

So you know how we all think Utah is bipolar with snow during the spring...well Brazil just destroyed how bipolar Utah really is. We go from sweating our brains out to freezing cold at night, from hot and humid and rainy and windy all in the same day...yea it is crazy! But...it’s fun!

So I was praying this last week and felt so strongly that I needed to do more to strengthen my testimony of the Savior and strengthen my desire as a missionary. Well one study I felt prompted to open the missionary book that Reese had made for me, and this is what I read from my two brothers,

From Brian, "I wish I could tell you the secret to missionary work that would make you a good missionary, but there isn't one. Just remember that the atonement is key. Think about it."

From Reese, "the main thing to remember about missionary work is that the Savior is at the center. He must be or everything else is pointless. The atonement must be your reason for being a missionary. Without it there would be no gospel, no plan of salvation, no exaltation. His atonement is in and apart of everything."

When I read those two profound statements it hit me so strong. It made me truly take a step back and think, if the atonement was truly at the center of my own life and my true desire to talk with others. Also was it truly the reason of why I am a missionary. I know the atonement is everything. Not just for a missionary but for our everyday lives. He lives and He loves us. All He expects from us is to come unto him, partake of the blessings of the atonement whether we think we need them or not, and to just serve and love others. It’s the simple things I have found myself looking over. So grateful for the mission to help open my eyes to what is truly important in life. 

Love you all!

Elder Loveless

I Am A Child Of God

Wow...this last week was so amazing!

I was able to perform (sorry I know that’s not the right word but that is what we use in Portuguese to describe it...able to do...maybe...sorry) an interview for an investigator of the sisters. I wish I could talk about the whole interview but I can’t. But there is one thing I will share. After about an hour and a half, we finished the interview, and I told him, "Michel, Satan knows what you are about to do, and he will do everything in his power to stop you from being baptized. Do as the savior has taught in 3 Nephi 20:1, 'And it came to pass that he commanded the multitude that they should cease to pray, and also his disciples. And he commanded them that they should not cease to pray in their hearts'." He then stopped me and said this, "Elder Loveless, no one, nothing, not even Satan can stop me from being baptized into the true church, because I am a child of God. I am one of His sons." It hit me so strong. How true is that. The most important doctrine teach is the first principle that God is our father and we are His children. How often do we forget that? I really needed that interview. It strengthened my testimony so much.

So we have had many people that we have been teaching. One of which had many problems with drugs and he started meeting with us and the gospel has changed his life. He is so strong and is working towards baptism. I love being a witness of the gospel changing lives and feeling the spirit work through me that is why I’m here. I love it!

Easter was amazing. I was reading about when Christ appeared to Mary and He talked with her and she didn't recognize Him. Until He said her name. Then she knew it was Him. I love this quote on a Greg Olsen picture of Christ "The shepherd loved his sheep, he knew them, named them, provided for and protected them. In return, the sheep respond to their shepherd and recognized his voice. His call alone could bring them back from their wanderings in unfamiliar paths. If lambs were lost, he sought them out and brought them back to the fold...Those who hear the masters call and then seek to follow in His path will find Him and there enjoy contentment and safety at His feet." I love this quote. It is so true. He is always out to seek us. He never stops and doesn't give up. I know at times in my life I've looked for how he has sought me out, and it has always been through my sweet family and friends. I know He lives and I love Him.

Hope you all have a wonderful week!

P.S. The family is the stronghold, the unit of the church. With the family we can't fall that is the foundation we must build on, the family focused on the atonement.

Love,

Elder Loveless

Craziness

This last week was just full of ups and downs and was a crazy roller coaster. With baptisms falling through because of problems within the family...nothing is worse than to see someone you love and you see them as Christ would (well atleast trying to do as christ would), to see them not make it to their own day because of others when they still want it, is truly heart wrenching. I'm so grateful for the atonement. It truly does mend a broken heart if we allow it. I've had many prayers of tears on the mission asking why that person wasnt able to make it to the fold and always the reply is the same, "trust me." Sometimes it is truly frustrating not knowing why the Lord allows things to happen to us or why we must suffer. I was receiving a blessing this last week and in the blessing it said, "all of the suffering you are experience is for a cause in the Lord." I know that we suffer, but we cant suffer even a pinch of what He did for us. I'm so grateful for this quote my sweet mom sent me.

 

"Your path will at times be difficult, but I give you this promise. Rise up, and follow in the footsteps of our Redeemer and Savior, and one day you will look back and be filled with eternal gratitude that you chose to TRUST THE ATONEMENT and its power to lift you up." Pres. Uchdorf.

 

If we chose to follow the shoes that paved their way to eternal glory with our Father, it is impossible to get lost.

 

So it was really cool, I went back to the ´gator` Jacaré for an exchange and every member I met I could fully understand them and talk back...so crazy what 2 months can do! So grateful for all the help i've recieved.

 

We have been focousing a lot on finding new people to teach and the Lord truly is leading us to his chosen children. I love being a missionary and going to bed aching and waking up aching. And....somehow...your happy. But I love it.

 

Love you all!

 

Elder Loveless

 Elder Mckay, Traywick, me and Miller eating the best burger ever in our matching world cup jerseys!

Full of Miracles!

Wow...this last week was so amazing! Full of miracles each day! Some I wish I could share...

One experience was so amazing and opened my eyes to the power of the voice of the spirit! We were at a lesson with a member, teaching his niece. When we got there I felt a strong prompting, "Only use the Book of Mormon." I remember asking Heavenly Father, “what should I do?" and I felt inspired to ask her what she needs. So I asked Karina (our investigator) "what is a question you have for our Heavenly Father that you would like him to answer right now? I promise you that whatever question you ask He will answer through the Book of Mormon." She asked...if this truly is the true church, why do people join and then fall away? Do they not know it is the true church?....So we opened up to Alma 5:14“And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? read how some people haven’t received that change heart, or they have and they stop doing the little things (Alma 37: 6-7) 6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.  7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.  and we explained that it comes down to our own conversion. She was satisfied, but there was more, so I asked her what was another question she had. She began to ask what happens to us after death...Alma 40...why does the catholic church baptize infants...it doesn't make sense...Moroni 8...what is the authority to baptize and the mode of it...3 Nephi 11 (when the lord calls Nephi and 12 others) she had question after question and we answered them all with the Book of Mormon. It was so amazing! The Book of Mormon is true. And if there is a question that isn't explained within the text, then do as the introduction says, if the book of Mormon is true, then Joseph Smith was a prophet and the church is true. Every question we have in this life comes down to where it is in the Book of Mormon or whether it is true or not. I love that book and sharing my testimony of it. It has changed my mission.

So I have been thinking about how to become a true witness that Jesus is the Christ, and I stopped to think about the miracles. We become special witnesses that He lives, not because we see Him as He is, but because we witness what He has done. Is doing. And we trust in what He will do. That is how we become a witness of Him. That He is the son of God, our Savior and Redeemer. We see the Lord every day through the small miracles right in front of our eyes. We have to decide to look to see Him, that He is performing the miracles...not sure coincidence. I know that He lives because He is in control of my future if I’m willing to let Him guide me.

Conference was so amazing! I loved it! Elder Oaks...WOW! Soo cool! Also the prayer that President Monson gave at the end of his talk was so amazing and powerful. I could feel him as he was literally talking with God. You can tell he has a relationship with our Father!  And Elder Hales, "be careful who you follow." so applicable today...there is black and white. We have to choose! Also Pres Eyring, "if you let Him be the head of your family all will work out." I felt that the message of conference (at least for me) was, we find safety in the Gospel and the Family. Two things that are required for our exaltation. Conference was sweet!

Love you all!

Elder Loveless

 Elder Loveless, Elder Mateus and Jaeslon a member

 Elder Mckay, Elder Lee and Elder Loveless